Latch escutcheon and method of applying the same



June 2, 1925; L. OTTINGER LATCH 'ESCUTCHEON AND METHOD OF APPLYING THE SAME Fild June 28, 19,25

,NVENTOR Y m I f f. d fw lg' v ATTORNEY- Patented June 2, 1925.

LEON' OT''INGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

lL AJICl'" ESCUTCHEON AND METHOD OF APPLYING THE SAIWII?.

Application led .Tune 28, 1923. Serial No. 648,394.

To all ywhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON OTTINGER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, count-y, and State of New York,

have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latch Escutcheons and Methods of Applying the Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates toV an improved latch escutcheon and method of applying the same and has more particular relation to such escutcheons as are used in connection With the latches of automobile doors. Heretoforeit has been the practice to provide a relatively long cast metal bushing threaded or otherwise fixed in the outer end lof the handle receiving opening of .the door to provide a bearing for the handle, said bushing having a flange or escutcheon plate formed on one end to engage against the face of the door around the latch handle. However, in view of the fact that the inner and outerI faces of the door are not parallel,

and the wall of the opening does not extend at right angles to the outer face of the door, it is impossible to secure close contact` of an escutcheon plate or flange of uniform thickness against the door face entirely around the opening. In other words,l at one side of the-opening in thedoor the plate Would be' slightly spaced from the door face, un-

less said plate is specially formed and thickened upon one side. Escutcheon members of this type are, therefore, relatively expensive. A so, these escutcheon plates'are provided With openingsvtol receive attaching screws threaded in the door which 1s an v additional item'of expense.

It is, therefore, the primary object and purpose of' my present invention to provide a combined escutcheon and shaft bearing member for door latch handles and a method of applying the same to the .door whereby close contact of the escutcheon against the door face entirely around the opening is assured with a proper accurate alignment of the opening of theescutcheon member with ,respect to the latch actuating rollback to which the handle is to be connected, regardless of the angular relation ofthe wall of the handle receiving opening with respect to the face 0f the door.

In one embodimen-tof the invention, I provide an escutcheon member, which, when applied and secured to the door provides a tangential single point bearing contact for the shank of the latch handle. Preferably,

the escutcheon member is initially in the form of a sheet metal sleeve having an outturned rounded bead or other ornamental formation on oneend thereof adapted to bear against the outer facev of the door around the handle opening therein. In the application of this escutcheon member to the door, I position the same against the door face With the sleeve extending into the handle opening and 'then properly lcenter said sleeve in concentric relation with the latch actuating rollback. While maintaining pressureagainst the outer face of the escutcheon member to hold the edge member thereof closely against the door face, I :then apply anoutward pressure against the inner wall of the inwardly extending part of said member whereby the latter is expanded and the edge thereof is firmly embedded in .the Wood struct-ure of the door. y y escutcheon member is tightly and securely Thus the fixed in place at the outer end of the handle opening Without the use of screws or other supplemental fastening or attaching means. It is another object of my. invention to providea combined escutcheon and handle bearing which is of suchconstruction that it may be used in connection with the various types of latches-now employed' upon automobile doors and Willdecrease the number of operations required in the application of such latches While providing a neater appearance on the outer face of the door around :the latch handle than is possible with the use of such devices now employed in this art." i

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved escutcheon member and in the mannerof applying'the same to the door, as will be herelnafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In -the drawing wherein I have disclosed` severaly practical and desirable embodiments of the invention and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout'the several views:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section through an automobile door having a latch applied ment initial form of the escutcheon member -before securing the same in its final position in the door; i

Figure 3 is a sectional view illustrating the centering and expanding tool for the sheet'metal escutoheon member;

Y Figure' 4 is an inner face view of the escutcheon member in its ori inal form: and

Figures 5 and 6 aredetail sections illustrating several alternative forms of thefdevice.

While the. invention to be hereinafter described is more particularly designed for application and use in connection with the doors of automobiles, it will be apparent that the device might also be advantageously used in connection with the-latch handles of house doors and in other cases where it is desired to provide a bearing support for the operating-handle and a neat and attractive lappearance of the outer face cf the door -no essential feature of the present improvements, it may be of any desired construction. v,For the purpose of -this explanation it will suffice to state that the latch mechanism includes an actuating rollback 7 which is suitably mounted in the walls of the latch case for oscillating or. rotative movement. The rollback 7 is operated by -means of the usual handle 8 and as herein shown, one end of this handle is rigidly fixed in the bore. of the rollback by means of the screw 9. Likewise, this'handle attaching means constitutes no essential part of the resent improvements, the same being ful y described and claimed in m co-pending application for patent, Serial No. 613,809, filed January 20, 1923. i

It will be observed from reference to Figure 1 of the drawing that the outer face 10 of the door is not disposed in parallel relation to the inner face thereof. Therefore, if the handle receiving opening 11 is bored through the door withits outer end in concentric relation with the axis of oscillation of the rollback -7, it will be apparent that.

. plate can be brought into close contact with the face 10 of the door only at one side of the-opening V11. Various suggestions have been advanced for remedying this difficulty.

4Thus it has been roposed touse a separate escutcheon plate, oosely mounting the same on the outer end of the bearing bushing, and interposing a spring between said plate and a washer engaging the door around the handle opening. 1t will be apparent, however,

that such a device will be quite expensive ameter of the sleeve 13 is appreciably less than the diameter of the opening 11 and in the application of the member 12 to the door, the edge of the flange or bead 14 is closely engaged against the door face 10 entirely around the opening 11 whilethe sleeve 13 projects into said opening.` While I have referred to the escutcheon member as having the semi-cylindrical bead 14 it will, of course,`be obvious that since this formation of the sleeve end is purely for purposes of ornamentation, the sheet metal plate from which the device is produced might be of greater area and formed with an escutcheon plateor flange extenslon of any deslred ornamental configuration to extend overa greater area of the door face 10.

After the escutcheon and bearing ymember as been positioned, as seen in Figure 2 of the drawin s, the expanding tool 15. illustrated in igure 3, is then applied. This expanding tool may be of any conventional construction, but as illustrated is providedY with a plurality ofV pivotally mounted expanding members 16 between which a co- `noidal expanding head 17 isl arranged. Each of the members 16 has a reduced dee ly grooved or concaved end portion 18. he expanding head 17 is preferably provided with a socket to receive the end of the centering rod '10 which isA detachably fixed in said socket by the screw 20.

In' arranging the expanding tool in posiI tion, the members 16 are positioned against the escutcheon flange or bead 14 with their reduced end portions 18 extending through the sleeve 13. In order to insure'a concentric relationship of the sleeve 13 with the axis of the latch actuating rollback 7, the end of the centering rod 19 is engaged in the boreiof 'said rollback. The expanding tool 15 is then operated to force the members 16 radially outwards() that .their concave end portions 18 will exert an expand-.

ing pressure against the sleeve 13 extending into the o ening 11. Thus this end of the sleeve wil bev outwardl expanded and the edge thereof firmly em edded inthe wood structure of the door 5 around the opening or passage 11 extending therethrough. In this expandin action, it will be understood that themem` ers 16 of the tool bearing against the es cutcheon flange or bead 14 holds the edge thereof in close bearingbcontact against the doorface 10. rIhus at all points around the outer end of the opening 11 the escutcheon flange will be in positive contact with the face of. the door. After the expanding tool is removed the member 12 is then in the form of a tubularannulus open -at `one side thereof with one edge of said open side extending into the opening 11 of the door and embedded in the door structure. Thus, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawing, when the operating handle 8 for the latch rollback 7 is inserted'and secured to said rollback, the handle shank will have a single circumferential point of bearing contact upon the inner face of the tubular escutche'on at 21. InHFigure 1 of the drawing, I have illustrated the opening 11 in the door having its outer end concentric with the rollback 7, while in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, the opening 11 is supposed to have been inaccurately bored through the door so that' its outer end is eccentric to the rollback. In the latter instance, it will be understood that the proper centering of the sleeve 13, before expansion in the end of the opening 11, is essential in order that the shank of the handle may be properl \7 fitted or mounted in the escutcheon and bearing member after its application to the door. 4

In Figure 5 of the drawing, I have shown a slightly modified form ofthe device in which the sleeve 13 is of vgreater length to provide a relatively long straight inter.- mediate bearing portion 21 for the handle shaft instead of the single point circumferential Contact above, referred to. Also, in this case, I may embed the outer edge of the escutcheon bead or flange in the face of thedoor as shown at 22, as well as expanding the inner end edge of the sleeve 13 into the door structure.

In automobile door latches having the solid metal sleeve or bushing threaded into the outer end of the handle opening, such bushing is usually provided with an internal annular shoulder intermediate of its ends against which a shoulder formed on the handle shank seats. In order to adapt my invention for use in connection with latches having such` a shouldered, handle shank, I -may. provide the construction shown in Figure 6 of the drawings wherein the sleeve is rovided at the inner side of the semi-tubular escutcheon flange or bead 14 with anl inwardly projecting annular 'shoulder 23. Th'e reduced end portion of the sleeve indicated at 13* embed its edge in the door structure, and the expanding tool may be of such form as to also contract the semi-tubular bead or esc'utcheon fiangelft slightly and thus enibed the sharp circumferential edge :24

. formed at the juncture' of said escutclieon purpose in view.

is expanded` .ta

Ysaid flange with the Wallpof the shoulder 23 into the wood. These two spaced points of en-V gagement of the metal member` in the door structure provides greater security.

From the foregoing description consideredl in connection with the accompanying drawing it is believed that the construction of my improved escutcheon and handle bearing for door latch handles as well as the method of applying same will be clearly and fully understood. Owing to the fact that after positioning' the escutcheon meniber, 4it. may be lirmlv and securely fixed upon the door by av single operation of the,

expanding tool, it will vbe apparent that the time required in the application of such sha-ft bearing and escutcheon membersis very materially reduced over that necessary in the vapplication .of such devices as are nowV very generally employed in this art. It will further be appreciated that since'I eliminate the necessity of using screws or other fastening members, the cost of this, item of automobile body construction is very -greatly reduced. Also as I altogether discard the threaded bearing bushing heretofore employed, extreme accuracy in the boring of the handle receiving opening il: the door structure becomes -unnecessary so that there will be a further reduction o f time consumed in the application of the latch tothe door. These several items when compared with the total manufacturingcostof the individual seem' quite insignificant2 yet in the aggre- 'gate they constitute an appreciable item of expense.

thus correspondingly decrease hisoverheadl expense.

automobile body I may I I have .referred in the foregoing descripi tlon and illustrated in the drawings several forms or embodiments of my present invention wluch are entlrely practical for the manifest that the might possibly be secured by utilizing a combination .bearing and escutcheon member ofpother structural forms 4than those Nevertheless, it will bev same desirable results herein disclosed. Accordingly it is-to be -v understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes in the several novel features of my present improvements as may be fairly embodied withinthe as claimed.

I claim:

l1. In combination with a door structure havin a latch handle receiving opening, a latc operating rollback' at one Vend of o ening and an operatingk handle adapte to be connected to said rollback; a bearing member for the handle shaft permanently fixed in the door structure at spirit and scope of the invention the other end of said opening and having a continuously curved or convex surface presenting a single lcircumferential line of having a latch handle receiving opening, a

latch operating rollback at one end of said opening and an operating handle adapted to be connected to said rollback; a bearing member for the handle. shaft permanently xed in the door structure at the other end of said opening and hating a continuously curved or convex surface presenting a single circumferential'line of bearing contact for the handle shaft in tangential relation thereto, said member having an integrally formed escutcheon flange closely contacting With the face of the door at all points around said opening.

- 3. In combination With a door structure having a latch handle receiving-opening, a latch operating rollback at one end of said opening and an operatin handle adapted to be'connected to said rol back; a comb-inedy bearing and yescutcheon member for said handle consisting of a one-piece metal annulus hav1ng.an edge thereof V1n close con- `tact With the face of the door surrounding the other end of said opening and its other edge extending into the opening and embedded in the door structure.

-. 4.'In combinationvwith a door structure having a latch handle receiving opening, a latch operating rollback at one end of s aid opening and an operating handle adapted to be connected to said rollback; a combined bearing and escutcheon member for said handle consisting of a one-piece metal annulus positioned at the opposite end of said openinr in concentric relation tothe latch rollbac and having oneof' its edges in close contact with the facev of the door surrounding the end of said opening and its other edge extending into the opening and embedded in the door structure, said annulus being formed with an inner convex surface presenting a single circumferential line of bearingl contact with the handle shaft in' tangential relation thereto.

5. In combination with a door structure having a latch handle receiving opening, a latch operating rollback at one end of said opening and an operating handle ada ted to be connected to said rollback; a combined bearing and'escutcheon member for said handle consisting of a tubular sheet metal annulus having a circumferential opening, the edge portion of said annulus at one side of the opening therein extending into the other end of the opening in the door structure and being embedded in the wall of said opening, the other edge of the annulus at the opposite side of the circumferential opening therein closely'contacting with vthe 6. In combination with a door structure having a latch handle receiving opening, a latch operating rollback at one end of said opening and an operating handle adapted to be connected to said rollback; a combined bearing and escutcheon member for said handle permanently fixed to the door structure at the other end of the opening therein and consistingof 4a one-piece sheet metal element having an escutcheon flange formed on one end closely contacting With the face of the door around the end of said opening and an 'annular portion extending into the opening from said escutcheon flange and havingan outwardly turned edge firmly embedded in the Wall of said opening and constituting the'sole securing means for said member.

7. A combined bearing and escutcheon member for door latch handles having a part` adapted to be engaged closely upon the door face at all points around the handle opening in-the door, and another part to extend Within '[said opening providing a. circumferential edge portion adapted to be subjected to an expanding pressure and embedded in the structure of the door. e 8. A combined bearing and escutcheon member lfor door latch handles consisting of a`sheet metal sleeve adapted to be positioned in one end'pof the handle opening in the door, saidl sleeve having an escutcheon flange formed on one end thereof adapted lto closely contact with the door face at all points around the opening therein, the other end 'of said sleeve extending into the opening adapted `to be outwardly expanded and embedded into the wood of the door to secure saidA member in place.

9; The method of securing a sheet metal escutcheon member to a door structure having ya handle opening extending thererespect to one face of the door structure which consists in inserting one end of a sheet metal sleeve within the end ot' said handle opening and engaging a flange on the other end of said sleeve against the face of the door, then applying pressure against the sleeve flange to maintain the edge thereof in close contact with the door face around said opening and simultaneously expanding a part ot the sleeve extending into said opening in an outward .radial direction and embedding the same in the structure of the door to thereby permanently fix said escutcheon member in position with respect to said handle opening.

10. The method of securing a combined latch handle bearing and escutcheon member to a door which consists in first positioning an escutcheon flange on one end of a sheet metal bearing sleeve against the door face surrounding the end of the handle -through at an angle of other than 909 with inc-idees opening with the other end of said sleeve projecting into the opening, and then applying pressure against the escutchebn flange 'to maintain the edge thereof in close contact with the door face and simultaneously expanding the inner end of the sleeve outwardly and embedding the edge thereof in the door structure to thereby irinly se cure said member in place.

ll. 'lhe method of securing a combined latch handle bearing and escutcheon to a door, which consists in first positioning an escutcheon fla-nge on one end of a sheet metal bearing sleeve against the doory face with the other end of the sleeve extending linto the handle receiving opening' of the door, then applying an expanding' tool against said flange to maintainthe edge thereof in tight bearing contact with the door face and simultaneously expanding said sleeve outwardly into tubular form and enibedding the inner end edge thereof in the door structure.

IBL 'lhe method-of securing a combined latch handle bearing and escutcheon to a door structure having a latch including an actuating rollback applied to one side thereof. which consists in rst vpositioning the escutcheon flange of a sheet metal bearing `sleeve-against the face of the door at the other side thereof with said sleeve extending into the handle receiving opening in the door, then applying an expanding toolto said member and centering said sleeve with respect to the latch 'actuating rollback, and finally expanding the inwardly extending end of the'sleeve to embed the edge thereof in the door structure While maintaining pressure of the expanding L f i Y tool against the escutcheon flange to hold the edge thereof in tight contact against the door face.

13. ln combination with a. structure hav` la. ln combination with a structure having an opening therethrough and a shaft extending through said opening, a bearing member tor said shaft consisting of a sheet metal aniiulus having a part embedded in said structure :it-one end of the opening therein and having a convex portion presenting a single line ofv circumferential bearing contact upon the periphery of said shaft whereby said shaft may be rotatably supported by said bearing member With a minimum of friction with the shaft axis out of coinciding relation With the-axis of said opening. l

ln testimony that l claim the foregoing as my invention7 llv have signed my name hereunder..

LEON OTTINGER. 

